Friction-clutch.



No. 835,373. PATENTED NOV. 6, 1906. H. R. STAGKS.

FRICTION CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED JULY2B.1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

' awe/Mon wi/bmmo k L47? PATENTED NOV. 6, 1906.

H. R. STAGKS.

FRICTION CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED \TULYZB, 1906.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

694mm, 4 MA: w mmlam I PATENTED NOV. 6, 1906. H. R. STAGKS. I FRICTION CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED JULY28, 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- PATENTED NOV- 6. 1906.

H. R. STAGES. FRICTION CLUTGE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY28.1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

UNITED STATES P ENT OFFICE.

, HOWARD- ROY STACKS, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNsYLvAmnAssIGNoR TO GEO. v. CRESSON 00., or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

FRICTION-CLUTCH.

1 my invention, which is a partin Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 6,1936.

To all whom it may concern:

'Be it known that I, HOWARD RoY smoke, of Philadel hia, in the county of Philadelphia and tate of Penns lvania, have invented a certain new an useful Im rovement in Friction-Clutches; and I do ereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a friction-clutch embodying In invention; Fig. 2, a section on the line 2 2 0 Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section-of a clutch embodying or split clutch; and Fig. 4 is a section on t e line 4 4 of Fig. 3. a

The object of my invention has been to produce a friction-clutch possessing the desirable qualities of simpl city and cheapness of construction, strength,'and ease of operationandto these ends my invention consists in the friction-clutch constructed substantially as hereinafter specified and claimed.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 the clutch shown is applied to two shaft-sections A and B, one of which is to receive motion from the other.

Fixedly mounted on the shaft-section A is a cup-formishell "C, the flange 0 of which overhangs the other shaft-section B. Within the shell 0 is a ring D, that is connected with the shell-fla e, so that the twowill rotate together, but t e connection between them bemg of such form that there may beindepend- In assembling the ring an ent movement of the ring laterally in a radial direction, the connection as shown being a well-known one,-consisting of sector-shape notches in one part and sector-shape projections or lugs on the other part, the notches and lugs of the respective arts interlocking.

d the shell the ring is merely slipped endwise or axially into the the friction-ring coact.

cavities or depressions the opposite ends of shell from its 0 en end, with the notchesand recesses'Coinci ing. The ring D carries an annular series of Wooden friction-blocks E, inserted in openings or holes that ass through the ring from side to side, and the blocks on both sides are provided wit recesses or depressions e, with which correspondinglyshaped annular ribs or projections of clamping rings or jaws F and G on opposite sides of The object. of the the friction-blocks and the annular ribs of the clamping-jaws that coact with said cavities or depressions is to give an extended bearing-surface and also to effect the centenng of the friction-ring D concentric with the shaft I: B should it at the time of the clutching oper-.v

ation not be concentric with said shaft-sew} tion.- The clamping rings or jaws F and G- are both directly mounted upon the shaftsection B to which they are keyed, and both i may be slidably mounted upon their shaftsection for movementtoand from the fn'c-' tion-ring D, or, if preferred, onlythe jaw F may .be slidable on the shaft, the other jaw ring action of the jaw F. Encircling the s aftsection B, adjacent the hub of the clampingjaw. G, is a ring or collar H, which is connect beingjstationary and of course the friction being moved in contact with it b the ed to each of the clamping-jaws F and G. Its

connection with the clampin -jaw F consists of one or more rods or bo ts I, that lie arallel with the clutch-axis, which pass (gosel through holes in the clamping-jaw an openings in the clam ing-jaw F and at the other end being passe loosely through openings in the ring or collar H and provi ed with nuts that engage said ring or'collar onopposite sides, and thus firmly connect them together, so that movement of the collar or ring will be transmitted, through the medium of the bolts, to the clamping-j aw F, and such at one end arescrewed into threaded movement of the clam ingq'aw will be positively produced in eit er direction, according to the direotionof the movement of the collar or ring. The connection between the collar or ring H and the clamping-jaw G consists of one or more toggles, each formed of two links J ,fthat are respectively pivotally connected to the ring or collar H andthe clamping-jaw G- and of course are pivotally connected to each other, and their connections are such that when the toggleis in a straight line and its centers aline it is 91- allel or substantially parallel with the axle of the clutch. For each toggle consisting of links J there .is a second toggle consisting of links K, one of which is pivotall connected 'to the joint or knuckle of the inks J and the other pivoted to the clamping-jaw G, and the links K of course aregpivoted to each other, and the position of sai its second toggle a link L, whose other end-1s pivoted to and arm on a sliding collar M, adapted, as usual,

to be reciprocated to clutch and unclutch bya suitable hand-lever.

Itwill be seen that movement of the clam 1 ing-jaw F is produced by the action of t e toggles on the ring or collar H, and, as will be ev1 ent, by my system of double toggles I get a most powerful gripping action, and I get it by a minimum amount of movement of the clutch-operating lever, both considerations, of course, being of great-practical importance, the first becausepf its assuring a grip or hold of theclutch members which will not slip, and the second because the fulcrum of theoperating-lever being usually near the ceilingsuch' lever-must be of considerable length to be within reach of a man on-the floor, and, of course, by reason of its length, a short movement of the clutch-operating collar means a short movement of the handle end of the lever.-

Clearance is preferably left between the ring or collar H and the shaft-section it encircles, so that should the adjustment of the connections between said collar and the friction-jaws be not accurate uniformity of pressure of the jaws on the frictionring D may,

nevertheless, be had by the shifting or adap tation of the position of the ring or collar H to the conditions of imperfect adjustment which may exist.

By reason of the loose connection between the friction-ring D and the shell-flange c the clutch will operate satisfactorily even though the two shaft-sections A and B may not be in alinement, though parallel, and such loose connection also permits of the adaptation of the clutch-ring D and the shell to each other should the shaft-sections be at an angle to each other, and to facilitate such ada tation and increase the range of it the perip ery of the friction-ring D and the adjacent surface of the shell-flange are spherically curved on a center that is coincident with the center of the friction-ring.

Inasmuch as the assemblage of the frictionring D and the shell involves merely the endwise movement of these parts into engagement, no bolts or other attaching means being necessary, it will be seen that all the members of the clutch which go on each shaftsection can be applied thereto before the shaft is placed in position and then the completion of the assemblage of the clutch effected when the shaft-sections are mounted in their bearings, and for the same reason the taking down of the clutch is facilitated.

As shownin Figs. 3 and 4, my clutch has a parting or divided form, which, of course, is desirable under some conditions. In this form thosemembers or parts. of the clutch which consist of rings are made in halves and the halves united by bolts and nuts. Thus theshell C-is composed of halves united by bolts 0, the ring D of halves united by bolts d, and the ring G of halves united by bolts 9. When both the clamping-jaws F and G are axially slidable on the shaft, it may be desirable, as is shown in Fig. 3, to lace upon the shaft, between the ring or co ar H and the hub of the jaw G, a s'top ring N, against which the hub of the jaw G and the ring or collar H will strike unclutching when the jaws'F-and G have moved-the desired distancefrorn the friction-rim -Di Clutches made in -accor ance-with myin vention possess a(ldition--to.the advantages which have been-'Inentioned" others that are of practicalvalue andimportance. They are cheap to manufacture-, because the only finished surfaces are the--shaft engagingsurfaces, the friction-surfaces,- and the-drillwork, all of which is turret-lathe and ji work. The size of the clutches, compared with their horse-power, is extremely small a thing that is of importance, both because there is a saving inmanufacture, as less -ma-- terial is required, and because of the amount of space or room required,- the crowded-conditions of some shafti'ngand-the -'-location thereof making even a difference-of awinch in diameter or lengthpf =a-clutoh ofconsequence. By-reason of my arrangement-pf toggles centrifugal force is'withou-teffe'ct when the clutch is locked when the -clu'tch-'=isi-revolvi-ngat the highest rates of s eed," and when unlocked the effect ofcentr' ugal-force is to keep the clutch =unlocked-fthus msuring against automatic or accidental docking-of the clutch: There-are no flying arms, levers, set-screws, or other parts apt to become loose and thrown off, the outsideof the clutch being perfectly smooth and free-front projections, and yet such parts as-require-ad-- justment are so exposed-as to be easily 81G!" cessible. All the parts are *-iI1terchangeable,- so that the cost of repair from wearor other causes is not great, and there are no sprin s.'-

I do not show in'thedrawings a-cl-utf: h pulley embodying my invention; but-it. will be understood Without illustration-that my invention may be embodiedin a clut ch pulley.- From what-has been said-in the specifica-- tion it will be seen-thatmy invention is-susceptible of different embodiments, andit-"is therefore to be understood thatthescopeof my invention-is not restricted-to clutches embodying the particulars of construction which are shown in the drawings'and are described in detail herein.

Having thus-described my invention,-what; I claim is 1. In a clutch, the combinationofa shell, a friction-ring connected therewith by interlocking lugs and notches, the adjacent pe- 11 heral surfaces ofthe shell and ring bein 2. In a clutch, the combination of a shell,

a friction-ring connected therewith to rotate with it, but free to move laterally in a radial direction independently of the shell, and a ring-engaging jaw, the engaging surfaces of the ring and jaw being comp ementary cavities or depressions and pro ectionswith inclined surfaces, whereby the application of the jaws to thering may act to shift the ring in a radial direction.

3. In a clutch, the combination of a shell, 8. friction-ring connected therewith to rotate with it, but free to move laterally-in a radial direction independently of the shell, said ring having, in opposite sides, cavities or depressmns with inclined sides, and jaws on th sides of the ring to engage the same,

having surfaces corresponding to said cavities or recesses, to enter therein.

4. In a clutch, the combination of cooperh ating friction members, and operating mechanism comprising two toggles, each consistmgofa pa1r of links, the ink of one of the toggles being directly connected with the knuckle of and transmitting motion to the other.

5. In'a clutch, the combination of cooperating friction members, comprising two oppositely-acting jaws, a toggle, whose respec- 'tive links are connected with, both jaws, a

second to gle, composed of two links, one of whose links is connected to the knuckle of the first-mentioned toggle, and means for ppthe other toggle.

7. In a clutch, the combination of co6perating friction members, a shaft-encircling ring or collar loose on the shaft, ad'ustable connections between said ring or collar and one of the friction members, clearance existing between the collar and shaft to permit movement of the collar for adaptation to the conditions due to adjustment and means for applying power to said ring or collar to move t e same. I

8. In a clutch, the combination of friction members, comprising two oppositely-acting jaws, both of which are movable, connections between the jaws, by which they are movable in opposite directions, and a stop to limit the movements of the jaws in unclutchhave hereunto set my hand.

HOWARD- ROY sTAcKs. Witnesses:

JosErH M. HEWLETT, E. E. HELLER.

said second toggle connected to the I ing. l

n testimony that I claim the foregoing I 

